Surviving Underground:

How Luis Urzúa’s Emotional Intelligence Led the Chilean Miners to Safety

Steve Weiss, ACC
Transformational leadership Academy

In August 2010, 33 Chilean miners found themselves trapped more than 2,000 feet underground after the San José mine collapsed. With food, water, and hope running dangerously low, the world held its breath. For the miners, every moment was filled with uncertainty, fear, and the looming possibility of death. At the center of this crisis stood Luis Urzúa, their shift foreman. Using emotional intelligence, Urzúa guided the group through their 69-day ordeal, keeping them united, focused, and resilient in the face of overwhelming odds.

The story of these miners is not just a tale of survival, but of leadership at its most profound. Urzúa’s use of emotional intelligence—self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management—became the backbone of their endurance. Here’s how these four pillars of EQ played out in the drama of their survival.

Day 1: The Collapse

When the mine collapsed, panic spread like wildfire. The miners were trapped with limited resources—just enough food for three days and minimal access to water. Anxiety and fear quickly set in. In the chaos of that moment, Urzúa’s self-awareness came into play. Despite his own fear, he understood the critical importance of staying composed. If he showed panic, it would ripple through the group, leading to chaos and desperation.

Urzúa consciously kept his fear in check. His internal dialogue might have sounded something like, “Yes, I’m scared. But I must stay calm for them. If I panic, they panic.” This was the beginning of his deliberate use of self-management, the next key element of emotional intelligence.

Self-Management in Action

With panic rising among the men, Urzúa’s focus shifted to control. “We need to stay organized,” he told them. He quickly gathered the group, assigning roles and responsibilities. Some men were tasked with rationing the limited food, others with monitoring oxygen levels, and still others with clearing debris in hopes of finding new air pockets. This structure created a sense of control amidst chaos. Urzúa was showing the miners that, despite the magnitude of the crisis, they could still take meaningful action.

By keeping calm and organizing the group, Urzúa’s self-management kept the group from spiraling into helplessness. Every step he took conveyed, “We can survive this—if we stay focused.”

Day 15: Losing Hope

As the days stretched into weeks with no sign of rescue, despair set in. The miners were losing weight, and their physical and mental strength was deteriorating. It would have been easy for tempers to flare, for the group to turn on each other. But Urzúa understood the miners’ emotions deeply, a reflection of his social awareness. He knew they were struggling not just with hunger but with hopelessness, and that morale was as important as physical survival.

Urzúa took time to check in with the men, listening to their fears and frustrations. He didn’t dismiss their concerns or offer false hope. Instead, he acknowledged their feelings, saying, “I know you’re scared. I am, too. But we need to keep going—for ourselves and our families.” By validating their emotions, he ensured the miners felt heard and understood, helping to relieve the emotional tension.

Building Empathy and Social Awareness

This empathy wasn’t just about listening. Urzúa knew that a strong emotional connection would keep the group together. Every day, he reinforced the idea that they were in this together and that their survival depended on each other. “We are a team,” he would remind them, creating a powerful bond that discouraged conflict and encouraged unity. His ability to read the group’s emotional state and respond empathetically kept the miners connected, preventing the psychological fractures that could have torn them apart.

Day 30: The Breakthrough

After two excruciating weeks of digging from the surface, rescuers drilled a small hole and made contact with the miners. It was a moment of elation—but also of tension. The small hole provided air and communication, but the full rescue was still weeks away. Urzúa knew that managing their expectations and emotions would be critical.

This is where relationship management—the fourth pillar of emotional intelligence—came into play. Urzúa served as a bridge between the miners and the rescuers above. He made sure the men knew what was happening, but he tempered their excitement. “Yes, we’ve made contact,” he told them, “but we still have a long way to go. We must stay disciplined.”

Managing Relationships to Maintain Unity

To keep the miners engaged and motivated, Urzúa assigned new roles related to the rescue efforts. Some men were responsible for organizing messages to send up the narrow hole; others were tasked with preparing the mine for when the larger rescue drill would arrive. He ensured that every miner felt they had a part to play in their own rescue. This focus on collaboration kept the group focused on their shared goal: survival.

Outside the mine, Urzúa worked to manage relationships with the rescuers and the media, keeping communication open and ensuring that the miners remained informed. His leadership kept the morale high and the miners cooperative, ensuring that they would be physically and emotionally prepared for the rescue when it finally came.

Day 69: The Rescue

Finally, after more than two months of uncertainty, the rescue drill reached the miners. One by one, the men were brought to the surface, cheered on by the world. Urzúa was the last to leave, ensuring every miner had made it out safely before him.

His actions throughout the ordeal are a testament to how emotional intelligence can be a powerful tool in crisis leadership. By staying aware of his own emotions, managing them under pressure, empathizing with others, and building strong relationships, Urzúa became the glue that held the group together.

Applying the Four Pillars of Emotional Intelligence to Your Leadership

While we may not face life-or-death situations like Luis Urzúa did, the lessons from his leadership are valuable for all of us. Emotional intelligence isn’t just about being kind or understanding; it’s about using self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management to navigate the complex dynamics of human emotions. Here’s how you can use these four pillars in your leadership:

1. Self-Awareness: Know how your emotions affect your thoughts and actions. In moments of stress, pause and reflect before reacting.

2. Self-Management: Stay calm under pressure. Break down overwhelming challenges into small, actionable steps to prevent emotional burnout.

3. Social Awareness: Tune in to the emotional states of others. Show empathy by listening and acknowledging their emotions.

4. Relationship Management: Lead through influence, not authority. Build strong connections with your team by fostering collaboration and open communication.
   
   

Luis Urzúa’s story shows that emotional intelligence is more than a soft skill—it’s a survival skill. Whether leading a team through a project or guiding a group through a crisis, EQ is the key to bringing people together, keeping them focused, and driving them toward success.

Think about how you handle emotions—both your own and those of others—during tough times. How can you apply these four pillars of emotional intelligence to your leadership journey?